Gyeonggi Province to Invest 22.9 Trillion Won in Western Region Through 2040 'Major Western Development'

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kim Kap-dong] Gyeonggi Province plans to construct 6 major roads and 9 railways totaling 14 trillion won in the western region through 2040, and pursue regional economic growth and balanced development through public-private cooperation.

Gov. Kim Dong-yeon held an inaugural ceremony for 'Gyeonggi Western SOC Major Development' at Siwu Station in Ansan on the 6th and announced the plan.

Gov. Kim stated, "Following last year's northern Gyeonggi major development and the recently announced eastern region development, today's announcement of western region development completes a comprehensive development plan that advances Gyeonggi Province as one package. We will properly prepare with clear vision and policies and realize them steadily. We will do our utmost to cooperate with the central government, gather residents' opinions, and proceed without delay."

The Gyeonggi western region encompasses seven areas—Ansan, Siheung, Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Anseong, Gimpo, and Paju—which, despite their proximity to Seoul, have been marginalized in terms of administrative and fiscal resources due to development centered on the Gyeongbu axis. As a result, they have not been utilized as recreation and tourism spaces for metropolitan residents due to insufficient infrastructure such as roads and railways.

In fact, the road length ratio (road length in km per 1㎢) for the seven cities in the Gyeonggi western region is 2.61, only 51% of the Gyeongbu axis level of 5.12, and particularly for five cities—Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Anseong, Gimpo, and Paju—the ratio stands at 24%, which is cited as a factor impeding development and growth.

Accordingly, the province views the expansion of social infrastructure (SOC) and the inducement of private development participation as essential for the development and improvement of the Gyeonggi western region.

The investment scale through this plan is 14 trillion won in social infrastructure (SOC), with private development investment of 8.9 trillion won, bringing the total investment scale to 22.9 trillion won.

Looking at the social infrastructure (SOC) plan, through 2040, △6.8 trillion won will be invested in 6 road routes including the Siheung Tidal Dike to coastal road expansion, and △7.2 trillion won in 9 railway routes including semiconductor lines, for a total of 14 trillion won.

Based on this major transportation network, the province expects to lay the foundation for balanced national development by drawing a future map of the Gyeonggi western region that links marine tourism resources and advanced industries such as Daebudo Island.

To encourage private development participation, the province plans to relax urban planning review standards at the Gyeonggi Province level to support private development projects and establish and operate a private development support consulting center.

The province estimates that private development projects including urban development, industrial complex development, and golf course and marine resort tourism complex development through this plan will reach an investment scale of around 8.9 trillion won.

Beyond large-scale roads and railways, the province also plans to further expand existing emotion-based infrastructure such as the Gyeonggi Circumferential Trail (860 km), Gyeonggi Old Path (685 km), and Regional Bicycle Paths (836 km) at the metropolitan level and support eco-friendly tourism activation in coordination with cities.

Through this, the province expects local residents, regional entrepreneurs, regional planners, and cities to join forces to reinterpret local resources and develop the region through a fluid and flexible 'Liquid Politan' strategy that cultivates signature stores and other ventures.

The province estimates the production-inducing effect of the Gyeonggi Western SOC major development plan at 45.3 trillion won and the value-added effect at 19.1 trillion won.

The province plans to develop and detail this plan through expert consultation, research projects, and coordination with cities by June, make an interim announcement in July, go through a deliberation process involving residents' opinions, and announce the final plan by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the province announced its northern Gyeonggi major development plan through an inaugural ceremony for a special autonomous province in northern Gyeonggi last September and plans to invest 44 trillion won in northern social infrastructure (SOC). Combined with the eastern region's 34 trillion won and western region's 14 trillion won, this amounts to a total SOC major development plan of 92 trillion won.